Science Fantasy and Visionary Fiction, writing tips, and more from an aspiring writer

Category Archives: spirituality

Here’ some more creative writing from a dream segment in my upcoming book, Ethereal Seals: Dragonsblade. I had fun writing this part of Pepper’s dreams. It’s more philosophical and spiritual if anything. In the meanwhile, I’ve been super busy writing, rewriting, and revising the book segments from the feedback I get. Any feedback in the comments here is also appreciative. Thanks.

Alternatively, you can check me out at betareader.io. Also stop by my creative Twitch channel for gaming, writing, and artwork.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little tidbit and thanks for reading! 🙂

Pepper woke with a start, beholding an ocean of stars. The blackness of space drew her in, stealing her breath. Each star twinkled like facets of a white gemstone out of her reach. A chill ran up her spine at the view of the vast cosmos. Comets, nebulae, and multiverses spiraled around her.

“What is this?” she said with her brows arched.

A tusked bear materialized before her, its body muscular yet aged, golden fur tingled with gray. Licking its paws, the beast marked her cheek with its mitt before walking away. She shouted the bear’s name, her hand outstretched, but he did not heed it. With a howl, the animal vanished into stardust.

Confused, she paced forward on an invisible floor, each step echoing around her. A comet crashed into a small star with a massive explosion, scattering the remains like children’s toy blocks. Pepper gasped and shielded her face, but the shockwaves passed through her harmlessly.

Pepper opened her eyes. Instead of a destroyed moon, crystalline dust scattered around her vicinity. Then the cosmic sand shimmered, coming together at a point. A small flame developed, growing larger.

She stared at the sight, her jaw slack, as the flame grew beyond her line of sight. It was now a star, too massive for her to gauge. Then smaller particles of dirt came, rotating around the star like a solar system.

“Are those planets? What’s going on? Where am I?”

She tried to turn away from the awesome sight, but couldn’t. Countless universes flashed before her eyes: death and birth; an endless cycle of life and transmutation—of alchemy. She saw the future and the past, meshed together. Images of herself flashed before her eyes. She saw herself as a different, but a familiar person—a female soldier. Another vision came, as an old man; others like animals, insects, plants, and even stars. She became it all, merging with the universe.

“Please stop, whatever you are,” Pepper cried, vaguely aware of her body. She grunted and flailed her arms against the cosmic seduction.

The frequency of visions increased, hundreds flashing before her eyes each second.

“No more, please!” she begged, falling to what she assumed were her knees.

The visions ceased as abruptly as they began, leaving Pepper in the bleakness of space. The sensation choked her, robbing what residue of Creation still lingered within her entity. She hugged herself and sobbed, now empty and alone—a nothingness.

Then, she saw it.

A cluster of multiverses, each shaped like gemstones, condensed into a sphere of white plasma. Around the anomaly, arms of multihued light rotated like rings. She couldn’t count how many limbs the thing had, nor how large it was—size was meaningless—only marveled at the magnificence of what she witnessed.

“The Ethereal Seals?” she said, confused about how she knew it was Gate. She glanced down at a jade sword she held. “It must be my connection to the Gate through my sword.”

She looked up. The Gate flashed and released shockwaves of warm electricity that sent pleasure through Pepper’s body, a sensation she could only describe as divine—not fit for mortal comprehension. The smell of lavender wafted in the air, on her taste buds. Her fingers stroked the tips of the Gate. It was soft and tender.

“What do you want from me?”

The Gate flashed again and vanished, leaving her in the void of space. She then noticed a blond youth—alone in the darkness as she—not more than a few yards away. The young man shivered violently, unable to obtain the heat he sought.

A small girl appeared next to Pepper. The newcomer bore jade twintails down her shoulders and clothed in a silver dress. Her earrings were the shape of swords, and her silver eyes equally as sharp. Her hands curved to a single point, the flesh like metal.

“Master, please go to him,” the little girl pleaded, clasping her bladed hands. She took a knee, gesturing to the youth.

“Dwyrm?” said Pepper, examining the girl, who remained bowed.

Pepper approached the youth on the horizon. Her hand caressed his face, felt the cold sweat on his body, and smelled the herbal aroma of his hair. The touch was like a jolt of electricity through her arm. A warmth grew in his body, and he smiled, his eyes closed, as he cuddled with her. She dug her fingers into his robes, savoring his embrace, a smile on her lips. For a few precious moments, nothing else mattered to the girl.

She was complete and one with Creation once more.

The red girl paused as an ominous shadow formed behind the youth. The image of a black dragon roared and seized the man, drawing him away from Pepper’s grasp. She cried in vain, watching the towering dragon devour him amidst his screams of agony. Fire flared in her spine. She bent double and moaned in pain as darkness engulfed her.

This is a revised version of an older post. I wanted to revisit the idea of creativity. Through the books and media I have consumed since then (months ago), I developed a deeper sense of what is creativity.

Side note:It’s also my two-year anniversary since I started on Ethereal Seals! It’s amazing to think I’ve come so far in only a few years. Who knows what lies on the horizon for my story. I’m certainly looking forward to it. 🙂 Anyway, back to the article.

A Creative Introduction

What is Creativity?

“Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.”

―Robert E. Franken―

What is creativity or imagination? These elusive terms are difficult to pin down. Human imagination shows terrific promise. It accomplishes achievements while participating in humanity’s gruesome sins.

Human vision has no limits, save the ones we place. With enough ingenuity and patience, the strength of creativity can move mountains. Channeling one’s creativity is paramount as humans. It is our birthright and sets us apart from lower life forms.

Who uses creativity?

Creativity often links with artisans, such as writers, painters, musicians, and so forth. Yet imagination is so much more—even business people can use it.

Some may say creativity is an extension of free will. We choose the variables in a given system, for better or worse. The arts are akin to our souls experimenting and expressing our true nature to the universe. This ability to choose that renders us as creators, preservers, and destroyers.

“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.”
―Osho―

The Responsibility of Imagination

We are responsible for how we use this awesome power, ultimately determining our trajectory in life. What is creativity without a guiding hand to steer imagination’s wild nature?

Even so, there may be limited resources in place to restrict or test our creativity. Accumulation of these resources, whether it is money, food, or authority, strengthens our ability to choose.

We associate value with these resources, as they enable us. This ability to act may be coined power. Therefore, creativity fueled by resources and implemented through power builds the reality around us.

The Workings of Creativity

Creative Alchemy

Creativity is different from imagination. Imagination forms the creative idea—creativity transmutes the concept into a final product. Lacking one or the other destroys the creative cycle.

In this sense, the act of creativity is like alchemy—transmuting lead to gold. Birthing the creative gold takes work—and sometimes you may fail in the process. Commitment is a significant factor in the creative process.

The Components of Creativity

Here’s a diagram by Harvard Business Review ’98 that details the facets of creativity.

Expertise is the logical, restrictive, and straightforward intellect. A left-brained category.

Creative-thinking is the right-brained category of imagination, fertility, and freedom.

Motivation is the commitment factor—the long-term objective; the journey wrought by the mind.

When these three categories mesh together, creativity ignites within us.

The Global Creativity Gap

Here’s another comparative study by Adobe regarding creativity and how people view it. I found it insightful.

It is ironic that our world values creativity, yet most don’t live up to their creative potential. We live in a society of mechanized production rather than free imagination.

What will the future hold for humanity if we continue at this pace? Will it change? How? Some questions to ponder after you finish this article.

How to Maximize Creativity

Here are some ideas for you, the reader, to try. Forming a routine with these steps could provide dividends.

Do Something You Enjoy

It was Einstein himself who proposed this idea. Performing a task that brings fulfillment can help ease stress, clearing the mind. Whatever it may be, include it in your schedule for that creative boost.

Do Nothing

Work and rest go hand-in-hand. Sometimes the greatest ideas come to those who unplug from our busy world.

“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.”
—Alan Cohen―

If you’re out of ideas, try relaxing or meditating. Practice mindfulness meditation for the best results. Here’s an older article I wrote on the science behind it.

Exercise

Exercise stimulates brain circulation. Long walks are a great way to feed your brain that creative juice. This Standford study suggests that walking improves creativity.

Embrace the Absurd

Sometimes the craziest ideas have merit. Many writers and artists, like Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear, made use of the inane to fuel their creative works. Sometimes, from the depths of absurdity, genius can emerge. It can’t hurt, can it?

Another illustrative Diagram

Conclusion

Creativity is an elusive mistress, full of mystery and arcane prowess. Discovering the foundations of imagination may reveal untold secrets to humankind.

In an age rife with conflict and misery, perhaps the solution is surrendering to the creative child within us all.

I hope this article has helped you in whatever creative projects you have. That said, I’ll finish with one last inspiring quote. Cheers.

“The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him… a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create — so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating.”
―Pearl S. Buck―

Thank you for reading. Have a great weekend, everyone. There’ll be more to come. 🙂

We are in mid to late Spring now, but I thought I’d share a couple thoughts I had about what this season is about.

This time of year brings new flowers and with it new ideas and modalities to life. While some see New Years as a starting point, Spring is also an excellent period to begin fresh or check on how the year has progressed. The days are longer and the weather nicer; this makes for ideal productivity and outdoor activities.

“Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.”

– a quote by Lewis Grizzard
That said, I’ve developed a few pointers that have helped with my reading/writing life, even while outdoors enjoying the sun:

Take a small notepad and pencil with you, not a smartphone as that will distract you. When ideas arise (which they will) jot them down on paper for later consideration.

If your book/script is your own, don’t feel afraid to make notations or underlines where you deem appropriate. This too can be a medium to incorporate ideas. Reading while outside is an ideal way to enjoy a book, especially when it engrosses you in a quiet and relaxing environment.

Engross yourself in nature’s splendor. Allow the river to whisper its secrets in your ear. Ground your fears in the bare rock of the Earth. Hear the beautiful inspiration on the wind. Absorb the sun’s intelligent rays. Be mindful of the present beauty around you and the future will magnify your productivity. A scientific study suggested that four days out in nature without electronics improved overall creativity by 50%.

Practice light to moderate exercise (like a brisk walk) through a park or trail. This practice boosts creativity. Other types of exercise such as yoga also show promising results.

Thanks for reading and I wish you all a happy remainder of Spring. Much love and gratitude to my readers. ❤

Meditation: this new age trend grows by the year. Know formerly as a form of Eastern medicine for the mind and soul, scientific studies show meditation has a positive impact on the cells of the practitioner. Western medicine now considers this practice as a form of therapy.

American scientists held a study that examined what’s coined the meditation effect. Similar to going on a relaxing vacation, the research showed changed gene expression in those who participated. Long-term effects suggested a reduction in stress or age-related genes.

Another study by Harvard held an eight-week practice of mindfulness meditation. Participants showed an increased tendency towards memory, empathy, and patience. Scans showed the ritual changed the gray matter in the brain.

Do things that invoke your bliss. Whether this is writing, reading, hiking, yoga, cooking, or chatting with people.

As a part of Ethereal Seals and Pepper Slyhart’s journey, I wished to introduce this useful ritual to readers so that they might research and practice it on their own. Destruction begets destruction, and mindfulness could be the key to our war-like and fast-paced society. The next time you have a little free time, consider slowing down and trying meditation. You might be surprised at the results and the hidden potential within you, just as Pepper was.

Writing is a complicated affair that takes many hours of study and execution to develop. Some describe writing as a tedious affair, a sweet-torture if you will, while others engross themselves in it. At times, the process stagnates, and authors turn to tips online or in books for solutions. Some novelists go for walks or trips to the store, still thinking about their next best story or article. While this does work to a point, it doesn’t complete the equation. These are external references that assist in the writing process, but there is also the internal. This step into the interior side of the coin is often less-traveled by writers, but it’s ever as important.

The external side of writing focuses on drawing from the right or artistic brain. Reading is a great way to feed information into your psyche. Still, these are both external or conscious activities. Even creative ideas are logically procured from the brain onto paper or a screen; these activities take energy, and they draw from the subconscious mind.

The subconscious or subliminal mind is where all memories and the information from the external gathers. To correctly balance out the interior and exterior minds, rest is needed; not necessarily sleep, but an interval of peaceful non-thinking. Most refer to this practice as meditation.

When a writer enters this realm, the clouds clear and the creative subconscious regenerates. It purifies old stagnant thoughts and transmutes them into lucid variants, sometimes genius in scale. The more one meditates, the stronger their Will, and the less they are distracted by social media alerts and so forth. Meditation increases the gray matter of your brain.

Tips:

Here are some tips and methods to begin this practice, if you feel so inclined:

Relax – Let go of whatever your ego wants you to think. Drink deep the chalice of stillness and mindfulness. Fight against the urge to think about anything, even your story. Regulate your breathing or chant mantras to redirect your concentration. There are dozens of ways to implement meditation.

Time – Between writing, reading, family obligations, and a day job, it’s especially challenging to find the time to meditate. Our busy society discourages this–yet, without time to rejuvenate the subconscious, burnout is inevitable. Block out part of your day dedicated to meditating, even if it’s only 5 minutes a day. Your subliminal brain will thank you. Some people meditate better at night when the rest of the world sleeps, others in the morning. Find an ideal time that works for you.

Space – Establish a quiet area where you won’t be disturbed. Be sure it’s comfortable and dark. If you need to, ask your living mates to not enter for a designated interval. Defend this personal space from any miscellaneous disruptions, if possible.

Dedication – Meditation, like writing, doesn’t come quickly. With your routine established, stick to it. Some days may feel unproductive, while others will. Work your way up to 20 or even 60 minutes a day if possible.

Tools – Implements like music, essential oil fragrance, or colors can enhance meditation. Everyone is different; experiment, and find what works best.

Write After Meditation – The brain enters a different state after prolonged relaxation. During this period, creativity and productivity may be at its highest. Take advantage of this episode to work on your piece or jot down notes. Many legendary writers such as Shakespeare utilized this to produce their masterpieces.

In ancient India texts, the act of writing corresponds to the fifth chakra Visudda, also known as the throat chakra. Your throat has a compact bundle of nerves at the neck. These contribute to the acceptance and expression of originality of voice. The main obstacle of the fifth chakra–which most writers struggle which–is doubt and negativity. Through meditation, confidence is restored, and the nerves purify.

The fifth chakra works with the second one at the navel, called Svadhisthana, or the sacral chakra. This energy center controls pleasure and creativity. When the body isn’t producing sexual energy for biological reproduction, the life force goes towards the abstract, or creative ideas. Blockages in this chakra result in creative stagnation or exhaustion. Through appreciation of one’s body, mainly through healthy eating and meditation, the nerve endings restore back to their creative-inspiring state.

This is but a fragment of the information out there. Feel free to investigate the source links below. Writing bears an imprint of our soul, one that we transmute from the abstract (spirit) to the concrete (words). The physical and astral unavoidably connect, and neglecting one over the other cannot work for success. Take Shakespeare’s word for it:

“He doth entreat your grace, my noble lord,
To visit him to-morrow or next day:
He is within, with two right reverend fathers,
Divinely bent to meditation,
And in no worldly suits would he be moved
To draw him from his holy exercise.”

William Shakespeare
The Tragedy of King Richard the Third

Lastly, I recommend this book: Autobiography of a Yogi, the story of an Indian master and a writer full of unconditional love for the world.